The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Tailgate dimension?

Good morning guys....want to ask if sometime today a couple of you guys could check the width of your tailgate for me? I've got a newer 1987 stepside bed on my 48 and the top roll of the 1987 tailgate is exactly 50 13/16" wide. If you've got a straight, decent, original 1948-1953 AD, could you get me a fairly precise measurement? I'm talking about the very top rounded rolled area, not the flat part that overlaps the back of the bed. Thanks in advance.
Dave

Top of the rolled part of the tailgate measures 48-1/4" inches. FWIW, the flat overlap area measures 49-3/8".
Hope that helps.

KL: thanks for the measurement, but, I'm working on something where I'll need to repeat that dimension. I've measured two other 48-53 AD tailgates this weekend and they were 49 3/4 and 49 7/8......only an 1/8" difference (understandable production variation?). I hate to question your tape measure but your's is different by 1 5/8" (?????!). Could you please recheck? Anyone else? And that leads me to another question: are there any more Bolter's here in the St. Charles County, Missouri area? .....wouldn't mind meeting up with you....

Thanks, Dave

Now I'm worried. I just re-measured the replacement and it was the same numbers I posted.

I also measured the original one that was on the truck, trashed beyond repair - bent at the bottom, but the top was straight. It measured 48-7/8" top tube length and 49-7/8" across the flanges. I'll have to see what gives when I get the bed re-assembled.

KL: very weird. Maybe I can appeal again to the group: PLEASE Help?! Could a few of you guys check the width of your tailgate us? I've got a newer 1987 stepside bed on my 1948 and the top roll of the 1987 tailgate is exactly 50 13/16" wide. However, we need a measurement on a 48-53. If you've got a straight, decent, ORIGINAL tailgate, 1948-1953 AD, could you get klhansen and myself a fairly precise measurement? I'm talking about the very top rounded rolled area, not the flat part that overlaps the back of the bed. Thanks again.

The weird part of it is my "good" tailgate is an old original off another truck, not a reproduction.

kl: I didn't realize how hard it would be to get somebody to check a measurement for us. Maybe if we ask again: anybody who has a decent, original 1948-1953 AD tailgate, could you get us an accurate measurement of the width of your tailgate?? We're talking about the very top rounded rolled area, not the flat part that overlaps the back of the bed. Should be something like 49 3/4" to 49 7/8".....(I hope).

Thanks again. Dave

I can't believe that not many have come to your rescue yet. I would help but I have a TF, truck.

there's bound to be variation in dimensions on any of these old trucks to the point that parts off one truck don't fit well on another .... the Factory Assembly Manual will have a tolerance shown for the bed width, if not the tail gate itself - 50" is the inside bed width

Bill

Thanks 55Shaker (and red58). Brian, I was just checking out the pictures of your 55 TF....very nice, I like the contrasting color in the interior. I see it's a stepside too, which leads me then to a request: would you mind checking the width of your tailgate? I have a 1987 stepside bed on my 48. That 87 tailgate is 50 13/16" wide (54 thru 87 stepside tailgates are supposedly the same). It would help me to confirm that the tailgates on either end of that date range are the same, or what variation there is....would you mind helping me out??? Could you check yours? Thanks. Dave

Dave,
Here's a picture of an original tailgate measured along the top roll.

Tailgate with measuring tape

Fox! Thank you so very much for coming through! That confirms it then: 49 3/4" is what it is then. Super! And I read your story about your Ole Red Girl and checked out the pics...man you put in some serious engineering/effort there and making it a duallie to boot....awesome. klhansen, not sure where they leaves you with your situation....maybe when you put your bed back together it'll make more sense with your narrower tailgate? Guys, thanks for your help, you're great! (And I'm still looking for any more Bolters here in the St. Louis area?)

Done deal Dave, I got 50 & 7/8" across the very top. Hope this helps.

Brian, well isn't that cool!? 32 years apart and the dimension is still exactly the same! Talk about consistency! Yeah that'll help for sure. I'm working on something I hope to roll out pretty soon. Thanks Brian, and Fox!
Regards, Dave

As Bill posted: 50" is the inside width of the 47-53 bed and is also the inside width in 54/55st (as shown in the FAM).

The tail gate width would have to be a little less than 50" (as posted by most people above)?

Dave I screwed up, nothing new for me. The top of my tail gate is 50 & 7/8"". SORRY

Brian, Right? 50 7/8" is what you said earlier. That's the number I was hoping for for the 1954 thru 87 step sides and 49 3/4" is for the 48 thru 53. It all works out (except for klhansen?)

And Tim, if you check out your 54 you'll see the tailgate is wider than the inside 50" width of the bed because of the return they stamped into the bedsides. Thanks guys for all your help.

I was referring to the inside width of the bed.

47-53
CLICK

54
CLICK

I think I have a couple of 1954 tail gates in the garage. I will measure them.

Tim, thanks for documentation; yes the bed width is 50", no question. I was after a dimension for the actual tailgate widths, for the 48/53 and then for 54/87. Your tailgates for 54+ should be 50 7/8" (or 50 13/16"....depends on which tape measure I use). I did measure my bed width and yes it was 50" (I've got a 1987 bed on my 48). Thanks, Dave

Well, the mystery is solved on the dimensions on my tailgate. I checked on the GM heritage site and the bed dimensions on a '46 pickup is 48-1/2" inside. So that matches with the tailgate I bought to replace mine. Other than the ~1" width difference (and all the dents in my original '51 tailgate) they look identical.

So I guess I'm posting up a '46 tailgate in nice condition for sale. Might be a tough sale as there probably aren't many pre-'46 pickups up here in Alaska. Pretty heavy and costly to ship down to the Lower '48.

On edit: Looking at it some more, it looks like it's actually a 47-51 tailgate that's been cut down to fit an earlier bed. The end pieces have been welded all around the perimeter at the skin and where the skin rolls around the top and bottom rail. The notch in the skin at each end of my original one isn't on it (probably cut off and welded over. There also appears to be an additional tube inserted inside the top rail to reinforce it (not there on the original tailgate remnants I have). It has the embossed block "CHEVROLET" lettering, where a 46 would have no lettering or a script style. Trying to stretch it back to the right dimensions to fit my '51 probably isn't going to happen.

Thank you klhansen for the follow-up. That certainly was a mystery...I was figuring somehow that what you had must have been re-engineered by some PO. I guess down the road somebody else will be scratching their heads over some of the things we're re-engineering on our trucks today. I keep records of some, but not all, of the changes I've made on my truck, but I doubt if many of my records will get passed along to a subsequent owner, and would he understand my notes anyway, or care? I guess we can chalk one up for the guys who are so adamant about keeping them stock. Thanks for the update, kl.